Arsenal have worked tirelessly to boost their global profile since the Premier League was first launched in 1992.
The Gunners have a massive following worldwide, with Asia, Africa and North America among the regions where the club is hugely popular.
The increase in the size of their fanbase has had a knock-on effect in the gambling industry, where wagering on Arsenal games is at an all-time high.
That point is evidenced by the sportsbook attached to a leading casino Canada platform, which is inundated with wagers whenever Arsenal play.
Arsenal’s previous overseas tours have boosted their profile in North America and it has been a similar story with their visits to Asia.
The club will return to the latter continent this summer for an exciting three-match schedule against teams from the Premier League and Serie A.
They are scheduled to face AC Milan on July 23, before meeting Newcastle United four days later. Both fixtures will be played in the 55,000-capacity National Stadium in Singapore.
The Gunners then travel to Hong Kong to play local rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the recently opened Kai Tak Stadium on July 31.
The eagerly-anticipated game is a significant landmark for the north London derby, as it will be the first-ever time it has been played overseas.
Pre-season tours are a big money-spinner, with European clubs reportedly able to demand fees in the region of $3 million per game.
The clash between Arsenal and Tottenham in Hong Kong has inevitably divided opinion amongst fans on both sides of the divide.
One UK-based Gunners fan told The Athletic that ‘everyone deserves the chance to experience Arsenal live’ and that he didn’t have an issue with the game being staged overseas.
However, a Tottenham supporter claimed it is ‘sad to see something like this happening’ and criticised the club for pushing the boundaries too much.
A committee member of the Arsenal Hong Kong supporters’ club, Adam Ng, hit back at that insular attitude saying the game would be a ‘milestone’ for the new stadium.
He cited the ambitious overseas strategy adopted by major North American sports leagues as a template that European clubs should embrace.
“The north London derby is a special game – it’s not a normal friendly or exhibition game,” he said. We have more than five hundred people in our supporters’ club.
“As long as the game is played before midnight, we organise a party for every game to watch together.
“When you talk about international matches, well, the MLB and the NBA started bringing international games over years ago.
“They get great feedback from the new audience. It’s a very good opportunity to promote the game in different countries – I see the positive side.
“Most overseas fans expect we will only get exhibition football games – we don’t expect a competitive game like the Champions League final.
“But if there’s a chance to watch a league game over here, maybe the first game of the season, that would be something else for us.”
Ng’s final comment about Hong Kong staging a Premier League fixture will undoubtedly be music to the ears of supporters of the controversial ‘39th game’ proposal.
There have been calls for the English top flight to add another round of fixtures to the schedule which would be staged overseas.
While the commercial case is clear, traditionalists believe the mere suggestion that competitive games should be played abroad is reprehensible.
For now, Arsenal fans in international markets must remain satisfied with the sporadic chances they are afforded to watch the team in person.